MUNICH, Friday 14 February 2025: Clearing the deadly debris of war should be a key goal of delegates at the Munich Security Conference, the head of the world's largest landmine clearance charity, The HALO Trust, said today.
HALO CEO and former British General James Cowan:
"From the vast grainfields of Ukraine to the former front lines in Syria, removing landmines builds security, enhances stability and saves lives."
HALO is the largest humanitarian demining organisation working in Ukraine, where over a million acres of farmland are estimated to be littered with explosives – limiting its global food exports. Since Russia's full-scale invasion, HALO has cleared over 36,000 explosive devices and made 7.1 million square metres of land safe – the equivalent of nearly a thousand full-sized football pitches.
Since 2022, HALO has expanded its workforce in Ukraine from 400 deminers working in the east to over 1,500 staff operating across the entire country. This saves lives and is helping the Ukrainian economy to recover.
HALO is also clearing landmines and bombs in Syria. Since the fall of the Assad regime just two months ago, at least 57 children and 228 adults have been killed in accidents involving explosives. The number of people wounded by explosives during the same period brings the total of victims to 560.
In one recent incident, a 12-year-old boy, his mother and a cousin were all killed by a single hand grenade. Many shepherds have been killed while tending their flocks.
HALO currently works mainly in the northwest of Syria, where the majority of casualties are being recorded. There are hundreds of miles of mined former front lines across the country and the real casualty figures will likely be much higher.
James Cowan added:
"Investing in landmine clearance is the first step in Syria's recovery. But it requires long term funding. To expand HALO’s operations in Syria we need to boost our workforce from 40 to 400. Clearing the whole of Syria could cost $40 million a year. We hope today's conference will help build stability for Syria and its people."